White-crested pheasant. (Source: TTXVM)
This rare bird, considered a symbol of Vietnam's ecosystem, is facing extinction due to habitat loss and hunting.
According to a reporter in Brussels, Antwerp Zoo will contribute two young pheasants and conduct genetic research to ensure genetic diversity for the re-released population.
“Our ultimate goal is to establish three sustainable populations of Vietnamese pheasants in the forests of central Vietnam, capable of sustaining themselves without human intervention,” said project leader Jan Dams.
The Vietnamese pheasant, first discovered in the late 19th century, once inhabited the lowland forests along Vietnam's rivers.
However, war and deforestation have devastated their habitat, pushing the species to the brink of extinction. For the past 25 years, there have been no records of the Vietnamese pheasant appearing in the wild.
In 2024, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) included the Vietnamese pheasant in the Red List of Threatened Species, classifying it as "critically endangered, possibly extinct in the wild."
However, there are still about 1,000 Vietnamese pheasants kept in zoos around the world . This is a ray of hope for the effort to restore this bird species.
The NGO Viet Nature has built a breeding center for Vietnamese pheasants near a nature reserve where the species once lived.
The center will receive individuals from participating zoos and implement communityeducation programs.
The effort to reintroduce Vietnamese pheasants is part of an international conservation program, with the participation of many organizations and experts around the world.
With the cooperation of the international and local communities, it is hoped that Vietnamese pheasants will have the opportunity to revive and return to their natural habitat./.
According to VNA
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/no-luc-quoc-te-bao-ton-loai-ga-loi-viet-nam-trong-moi-truong-tu-nhien-243337.htm
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